


Fighting Evil by Moonlight

by SloanGreyMercyDeath



Category: Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Werewolf, Blood, F/F, It's kinda sexy, Shaw works in Were Crimes, Violence, Werewolf AU!, and Root is a Were Wolf!!, but in a buff, there is also, werewolf hunter way
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-02
Updated: 2019-06-02
Packaged: 2020-03-01 14:58:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,141
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18802660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SloanGreyMercyDeath/pseuds/SloanGreyMercyDeath
Summary: Shaw works for the NYPD, the New York Preternatural Department. Root is a Were Wolf. A pack of Were Wolves has been killing Humans in the city and Shaw's partner, Cole, was the latest victim. Two weeks after his death, Root shows up, replacing him, and starts driving Shaw crazy. Can they work together to catch the pack before the next Great War begins? Who is Root and why is she making Shaw feel this way?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [st_aurafina](https://archiveofourown.org/users/st_aurafina/gifts).



Shaw walked into the police station, nodding to the officer behind the front desk. He gave her a small smile, and a sad wave. Rolling her eyes behind her sunglasses, she walked right passed him, not bothering to wave or smile back. If everyone was going to be like this, then Shaw was going to have to beat someone up to prove that she was fine.

Stopping in front of the elevator, she took one last drag of her coffee and dropped it into the trashcan that sat beneath the button panel. She hit the down button and stepped back to wait. Around her, people moved through the station, talking to each other and shooting her sympathetic glances. She glared at them from behind her sunglasses, scowling. It had been a week since she’d last come into the station and she’d tried to time it so she’d avoid the shift change.

The Human Crimes detectives usually left around sunset and the Preternatural Division replaced them. It was well past sunset now, the outside was dark and humming, but there were still too many staring people. The elevator chimed and Shaw stepped inside, glad to be out of the bright lobby light.

She hit the button for the third sub-basement and sighed. It had been over a week since Cole, her partner, had been killed. At first, Shaw had just kept coming into work, but Captain Carter had suspended her after she’d broken a chair over Reese’s back because he’d offered to buy her lunch. **

So, she’d spent a week pacing around her apartment and scouring the details of the case. She’d even convinced Fusco to bring her the files. He’d been afraid to come to her apartment at first, but she’d lured him over with Chinese takeout. For a Were Lion, Fusco wasn’t very fierce.

The case they’d been following was more complicated than they had originally thought. A pack of Were Wolves had been murdering Humans around Central Park for almost a month now and the New York Preternatural Department hadn’t been able to track them, find them, or stop them. Shaw knew they were close, though. Cole’s head had been left on her desk, a note staple to his forehead that read ‘Leave us alone. The cleanse must happen.’

The elevator dinged and Shaw stepped out onto the floor of her department. The small elevator lobby was empty, her teammates already at their desks. The walls of the lobby were covered in wood paneling. It got scratched or destroyed easily, but it was also easily replaceable. The Vamp department had silver mesh over their walls and that always cost a fortune to replace.

She started towards the bullpen, tense. Her team would try their best not to be awkward, but she knew they couldn’t always help it. They were a ragtag bunch, chosen because of their special attributes, but those attributes also meant they’d always been the odd one out. Now, they were adults with limited social skills who solved Were crimes. 

It was quiet, everyone at their desks, focused on themselves, and Shaw breathed a sigh of relief. She liked her department. They were a good team and worked well together. She looked around the bullpen, taking everyone in.

There was Reese, who was a quarter giant. He was tall and strong, and a little thick, but he was great in a fight. Fusco, their Were Lion and resident Were expert, was a great help to them. Were Lions were a lot more rare than Wolves, so it was always a boon to have someone with niche knowledge. He’d been instrumental in catching a Were Spider the year before because the man had expected them to track him like they tracked wolves.

Their captain was their main asset. Carter was Human, but she had some insight that helped them. Shaw was the only one that knew Carter had The Sight. She didn’t want people to worry about making decisions, or avoid them all together, just because she could see important events. Shaw enjoyed watching her call out whoever ate her favorite donut in the nightly meeting. No one could get away with a crime like that.

Zoe was also an amazing asset to their team. As a Vamp, she was their eyes on missions. She could disappear into the shadows and spy for them. The only downside was all the paperwork. The mayor didn’t like that Vamps could spy on anything they were doing, so Zoe always had to fill out request forms before missions. Carter always approved it.

The only other Human beside Shaw and Carter was Finch. He was their research guy. Shaw wasn’t quite sure how he knew as much as he did, but he was good at making connections. He was the one who put together their case files and served as their wrangler when they were out in the field.

Shaw opened the small gate that separated the elevator lobby from the bullpen and walked to her desk, steps silent. Cole had been the last member of their team, a Were Wolf. When the murderous gang had started killing Humans, Cole had gone out to check his contacts and try to figure out what was going on. He’d asked one too many questions.

Pulling her wallet, badge, and phone out of her pockets, she set them down on her desk. Moving her new chair back, she dropped into it, resting her hands on her desk and rolling herself closer. She was staring at the empty seat across from her, on the other side of the desk pushed against her own, when a hand appeared in her peripheral vision.

Shooting an arm out to grab it, Shaw’s hand closed around a donut, fingers sinking into the pastry. She groaned at the terrible feeling. She turned her hand over, willing the donut back together. The smashed bits tore themselves from her skin and in a few seconds, she had a perfect donut again. Double chocolate; her favorite.

Looking up, she saw Reese standing beside her, a napkin sitting in his open hand. Rolling her eyes, she took it from him and dropped it on her desk, putting the donut down on top of it. She spun in her chair to face him.

“Don’t you dare say anything nice,” she warned him, pointing a figure up at his face. 

He smirked. “I came over for an apology.”

Snorting, she just crossed her arms. “You’re not going to get one.”

“Shaw,” Carter’s voice called from her office. “A moment?”

Rolling her eyes, Shaw stood, holding her hands up in defeat. “Fine. I’ll apologize to him.” She bowed low, extending one leg dramatically and folding herself almost in half. “I’m sorry, Detective Reese, for my most terrible indiscretion. I’ll remember your frailty the next time I’m tempted to hurt you because you’ve done something stupid.”

“You’re forgiven,” he said, looking amused. “It wasn’t like it hurt anyway.”

She straightened up and punched him in the arm. It hurt her hand, but he seemed entirely unphased. That’s why he worked so well on their team. She shook her hand out and smiled at him.

“Attaboy.”

Captain Carter sighed loudly behind her. “I wasn’t scolding you for not apologizing. I need to speak with you.”

Shaw shrugged. “Alright.”

Stepping away from her desk, she gave Reese one last smirk and pushed her chair in. It didn’t take her long to get to Carter’s office; their bullpen wasn’t that big. It was old, built back during the Great Pret Wars as a hiding place for Humans. It really looked like a bunker, with cement walls covered in the same wooden siding as the elevator lobby.

Shaw smiled at Carter as she stepped past her into the office. Immediately, the hair on the back of her neck stood up and she reached for the gun at her side, loaded with silver bullets. She looked around and spotted a woman sitting on a small bookshelf against the fair corner.

She was fair, but in a Human way. Dark brown hair brushed against her shoulders, and she was well-dressed. Even looking at her, Shaw couldn’t calm her senses down. Usually, she only got tense like this when there was a non-Human in the room, but the usual aura wasn’t around this woman. Shaw couldn’t tell what she was.

Shaw nodded to the woman’s pantsuit. “Who’s the lawyer?”

The woman’s mouth quirked up in a smile. “I’m not a lawyer, Sameen.”

“How do you know my name?” Her fingers twitched on her gun, itching to aim it at the stranger. “What kind of Pret are you?”

“‘Pret’?” The woman repeated.

Captain Carter put her hand on Shaw’s shoulder holding her in place. “Root-”

“Preternatural,” Shaw answered, cutting her captain off. She clenched her free hand as a jolt of pain shot down her arm. “Not Human.”

“Oh,” the woman said, her lips pouting. “I’m Human.”

Shaw raised a dark eyebrow. “I doubt that. You don’t feel Human.”

“You haven’t felt me at all.”

Taking a step forward, Shaw growled. Carter’s hand tightened on her shoulder and she held Shaw back. She turned her back on the stranger to give Shaw a warning look. Behind her, the woman grinned.

“Shaw,” Carter said, voice heavy with warning, “play nice.”

“Who is she?” Shaw bit. “Tell me she’s here to be arrested.”

“That’s Root, your new partner.”

The woman, Root, waved at Shaw, the smug grin still plastered on her face. Shaw glared over Carter’s shoulder, skin crawling. She looked at Carter, palm settling onto the handle of her gun.

“She’s not Human, Captain.” Shaw licked her lips, eyes flitting between Carter’s face and Root’s. “I don’t know what she is, but she is definitely not one of us.”

Carter reached down and pulled Shaw’s hand away from her gun. “We’re barely Human, Shaw. Give her a chance.”

Gritting her teeth, Shaw leaned forward to speak quietly into Carter’s ear. “You have to see something. I feel like I’m going to burst out of my skin.”

“Trust me,” Carter replied, her voice just as quiet. “Trust me.”

As apprehensive as she was about her new partner, she did trust Carter. They’d been on the same team for over a decade now. Carter was one of the only people Shaw trusted fully. She nodded, trying to calm herself down, and stepped away.

She eyed Root warily. “Alright. You can stay.”

“I don’t think you have much of a choice,” Root said, laughing. “But I’m glad you’ve come around.”

“Don’t test me,” Shaw spat. She crossed her arms and turned to Carter. “Anything else?”

Carter shook her head and Shaw stomped out of the office. She headed straight back to her desk and picked up her donut. Shoving the whole thing in her mouth, she pulled her chair back out and dropped into it, scowling around her mouthful of chocolate.

She didn’t want a new partner, especially not one that made her skin crawl. Root would only be a distraction from her work and right now, Shaw wanted to be especially focused. They still had no clue who was in this Were Wolf gang, why they had been targeting police specifically, and why they were only killing Humans.

During the Great Pret Wars, more than two centuries ago, Humans had been accidental victims. The Prets were fighting each other, trying to declare themselves superior and decide who was truly the top of the food chain. Humans hadn’t stood a chance. They’d almost been wiped out. 

Now, Humans were more common again, although most Humans were mixed with something else. Shaw didn’t even know what she was mixed with, but she was always glad to have her strengths. She wondered if Root was mixed. Maybe she was part Dokkalfar. She certainly seemed the type.

Using the napkin to wipe her face, Shaw sighed and sat back in her seat. She shouldn’t be so suspicious, but they hadn’t had a new member of the team in years and as soon as Cole died, they had a new person. Shaw regretted not asking more questions in the office. 

It didn’t matter. She’d give Root some research to do and then focus on the case herself. Glancing at the desk opposite hers, she noticed a small notebook and reached for it. Before she could grab it, a chill ran through her again, and Captain Carter cleared her throat, getting everyone’s attention.

Settling back, Shaw swiveled in her chair to look at Carter. Her skin began to itch again as she saw Root again, this time standing behind the captain. Root’s eyes darted around the room taking in everything and everyone. When her eyes landed on Shaw, they lingered for a moment before looking away again.

“Department,” Carter said, her hands on her hips, “this is Detective Groves. She’ll be replac- helping us from now on. Please, be kind.”

Root looked surprised at that comment, eyes snapping to Carter. She grinned, confident and amused. Shaw wanted to punch that look off her face. Who the fuck was Root to waltz in here like she owned the place? Shaw clenched her fists in her lap and turned back to her desk.

A few of the team members wandered over to say hi to Root and Shaw was glad that they were keeping her away from their attached desks. A folder dropped onto her desk and a cool wind of air brushed over Shaw’s body. She looked to the person suddenly sitting in a chair beside her and crossed her arms on her desk.

“Zoe,” Shaw said, nodding to her.

“Shaw,” Zoe responded, smiling. “Enjoy your time off?”

Shaw smirked. “I did. I love being away from work. Not solving crime. Not beating people up.”

Zoe laughed and crossed her legs delicately. “You want some gossip on Detective Groves?”

“Please.” Shaw leaned towards Zoe. “Any Ammo. Any at all.”

Winking knowingly, Zoe leaned forward, too. “I don’t have too much right now, but I can tell you that she isn’t from the city. No one knows where she’s from or when she got here. Her transfer came through from a station in Ottawa, but when the Chief called to ask a question, they only had a file dated 20 years ago.”

“How is she my new partner then?”

Zoe just shrugged. “Maybe she bribed someone high up. I wouldn’t be surprised.”

Narrowing her eyes, Shaw looked over her shoulder at Root. There wasn’t anything outwardly suspicious about Root, other than the fact that she was wearing a suit that cost more than Shaw’s townhome. And the burning sensation Shaw felt behind her eyes. Shaw turned back to Zoe.

“Anything else?”

“I don’t think so,” Zoe said, apologetically. “She hides her track well. Do you think she’s really Human?”

“No way.” Shaw frowned, looking at Root again. “She’s something else. Nothing has pinged my radar like this before.”

Root lifted her head, her attention shifting to Shaw. She gave a small smile and excused herself from the group around her. Another cold breeze told Shaw that Zoe had gone back to her desk, so she just opened the folder in front of her and pretended like she wasn’t aware that Root was near. 

It seemed to work because Root just sat down in Cole’s chair. Shaw’s eyes snapped up to stare at Root. She wanted to tell Root to get out of that chair, but she knew that if she started something, Carter would just suspend her again. Instead, she dropped her eyes back to her folder and stared blankly down at the papers.

“Sameen?” Root’s voice asked. “Would you mind filling me in on what you’re working on? I guess, what we’re working on, really.”

Gritting her teeth as a sharp pain pulsed in her lower back, Shaw looked up at Root through her lowered brows. “Weren’t you briefed?”

Root pouted. “Only that there’s a pack of Were Wolves killing Humans. They said you’d know the details.”

“Well, I don’t.” Shaw picked a pen out of the wire basket that sat between their desks. “Not much anyway.”

“I’ll take anything.”

Shaw underlined something in the folder, not even reading it. “We think they’re trying to start the Pret Wars again.”

Root whistled, pulling Shaw’s eyes back to her. “That would be bad.”

Something in her voice gave Shaw pause, and her hand clenched around the pen. Root’s eyes were guarded when they met Shaw’s, completely unreadable. Shaw wondered if she imagined the gold tint or if Root might really have some Were blood. It was hard to tell how sincere she was.

Shaw frowned. “It would. Be bad.”

“Do they just want the chaos?” Root asked. “Or do they really want to wipe out Humans? I mean, that was the original reason for the war, wouldn’t you say?”

Her question was like a challenge. Shaw bristled. They all studied the Wars in school, all learned why peace was important, why there were very few full blood Humans left. It had been about becoming the dominant species. Humans were weak and so they’d been easy to kill. The War hadn’t been about eradication.

“What are you talking about?” Shaw leaned forward across her desk. “The Were Wolves didn’t set out to kill humans. They were just accidental casualties.”

“I don’t know,” Root shrugged. “I heard that Weres are just kinda bad.”

“Listen very carefully,” Shaw growled, feeling her blood turn hot. “I’m only going to tell you this one time. If you joined to team to settle some score or forward some anti-Pret agenda, then you’ve got to go. That’s not what we’re about and I don’t want to worry that you’ll ‘accidentally’ forget to protect a teammate. The NYPD is here to keep the peace. We help good people and catch bad people. No Species Above Another. You know the law.”

A small smile stretched across Root’s face, and she looked thoughtful. It was the first time since Shaw had met her that she seemed like a real person. The itching under Shaw’s skin eased a little bit, but her blood was still boiling. She scowled.

“What?” she barked at Root. “Say something.”

“You’re smoking.” 

Root pointed to Shaw’s shoulders and Shaw scowled, forcing herself to take deep breaths. Her anger was always apparent, making her body smoke and her skin grow hot. Usually, she could keep it under control, but the chills and shivers that were keeping her on edge around Root made it harder to keep in check. 

“You still need to answer,” Shaw said between breaths.

That small smile stretched into a larger one and Root rested her elbow on her desk, dropping her chin into her hand. “I was testing you, Shaw. I’ve worked at some bad police departments before and I didn’t want to bother if you were only here to kill Prets, as you call them.”

Feeling like she’d been tricked, Shaw took a few more deep breaths. Everything about Root rubbed her the wrong way. She was too smug, too at ease, to be new and Shaw’s skin wouldn’t settle down. Even when she was around Prets, it was never this bad. Zoe and Fusco just made her feel like sneezing sometimes. Root made her want to set herself on fire.

“Are you satisfied, then?” Shaw asked, disdainfully. 

“I am.”

Fighting the urge to smash her desk to smithereens, Shaw forced a smile at her new partner. “Then let’s do some digging.”


	2. Chapter 2

Shaw woke up, her skin tingling enough to draw her from her deep sleep. Clawing her way to reality, she sat up from the couch in Carter’s office where she’d spent the day. It had been almost noon before she’d been willing to leave and by then, she knew it’d be a bright and painful walk home. So, instead, she’d stayed in the department.

Rubbing her eyes to try and alleviate some of the odd sensations, she scowled to herself. Even after a week of working together, Root was still making her shiver and shake. Dropping her arms into her lap, she turned her head to look out of Carter’s open office door to the bullpen where Root was setting her purse down on her desk. 

She’d started wearing more casual clothing after the first day, probably getting the hint that they weren’t a business suit kind of team. The red t-shirt she wore today left her arms bare, and a white gauze bandage stood out against her lean forearm. Shaw stood with a groan, pushing herself off the couch and rising to her feet.

She stretched, arms above her head, letting her body relax as much as it could. It had been a week of long nights and the couch wasn’t the best bed. She wasn’t willing to leave early, though, and when she was tired, her defenses weren’t as sharp as they could be. So, sleeping in Carter's office was her only option.

Wandering out of the office, Shaw headed for her desk, every step making her itch more and more. Root sat down in Cole’s seat and looked up when Shaw got close. She smiled, somewhat friendlier than she had the week before.

“Good evening,” Root said cheerfully. “Did you spend the day here?”

Shaw nodded, opening a drawer on her desk and pulling out her phone. “I was here too late to leave.”

Checking the time and seeing that it would still be at least half an hour before anyone else showed up, Shaw shoved her phone into her pocket and started for the coffee table. Department rules were that the first person to show up had to make coffee. Technically, that would be Root since Shaw never left, but she wasn't willing to trust that the new woman could make a good cup of coffee.

“You’re really dedicated,” Root said from her desk. “That’s admirable.”

Rolling her eyes, Shaw opened the top of the coffee maker and pulled out the dirty paper filter. “It’s just the job. The faster we solve the case, the faster humans are safe again.” She threw away the filter and replaced it with a new one. “I’m frustrated that it’s taking as long as it is.”

She opened the coffee tin and poured a small pile of grounds into the filter. Quickly filling the tank with water from a pitcher also on the table, she felt the skin on her back twitch from Root's gaze. She started the coffee, closed the tin, and turned around to look at Root, leaning back against the table.

“You’re not frustrated?” she asked.

Root shrugged. “I am. I’m sure we’ll get some information soon.”

As she finished her sentence, the elevator door opened and Reese walked in, a small man hanging from his fist. Reese was holding him in the air by the back of his neck like an angry dog. Carter and Harold followed behind him, faces dark.

“Who’s that?” Shaw asked, pushing herself away from the coffee table.

“Yours,” John grunted. He let Carter open the bullpen gate for him and stepped through. “We caught him sniffing around in Central Park.”

“We also found a body,” Harold said, limping towards his desk. “It was a Were. A Wolf.”

Root stood from her seat, face carefully guarded. “How was he killed?”

Crossing to her desk, Shaw pulled her phone back out of her pocket, preparing herself for the interrogation. “Or was it a woman?” She tossed her phone onto the desk and began twisting her hair up into a bun. “Are we sure it’s related?”

“It’s related,” Carter answered. “The man was mauled to death. It’s worse than anything we’ve ever seen.”

The elevator door opened behind them and a second later, Zoe was forming beside the captain. She looked a little bit out of sorts, her normally perfect hair out of place. She put a hand on Carter’s shoulder and whispered in her ear for a moment before disappearing. The elevator doors closed again and began ascending.

“We need to talk,” Carter said, looking between Root and Shaw. She turned to Reese and Harold. “Put him in the silver room, Reese. Harold, can you pull our file on True Alphas?”

A stabbing pain shot down Shaw’s spine and she gripped the desk beside her. She glanced at Root, who still looked calm. The pencil in her hand had snapped, though, and Shaw watched as she carefully slid it into the pocket of her jeans. Root casually leaned against her desk and crossed her arms.

“You think a True Alpha is involved?” She didn't look to Shaw. “Didn’t they all die in the war?”

Shaw raised an eyebrow, the pain fading as she watched Root take a deep breath. “We thought so. It’s possible they just learned how to blend in.” Turning to Carter, she frowned. “Is that what Zoe said?”

“Zoe told me they found gold blood in some of the wounds.” Carter’s eyes unfocused and she paused for a moment as a vision overtook her senses. When it ended, she blinked and she smiled. “Alright. You two go talk to the Were we brought in. I’m going to go over the old files with Harold.”

Scowling, Shaw nodded. She hated when Carter wouldn’t share her Sight, but Shaw knew that it was sometimes for the best. She started for the interrogation room, taking her voice recorder from her desk and leaving the bullpen. She’d gotten to the hallway when her skin started itching less. 

Looking over her shoulder, she saw Root and Carter talking near the office, their heads close together. It seemed like an intense conversation and Shaw wasn’t sure if she should go to them. Reaching out, Root put a hand on Carter's shoulder. If Root hurt one hair on Carter’s head, Shaw would murder her without thinking. The tape recorder grew hot in Shaw’s hand and she clicked her tongue, turning away.

She didn’t need her new partner to interrogate someone. Stomping down the hall to the interrogation rooms, Shaw didn’t bother trying to cool off. She knew that her aura grew dark when she was angry and it usually helped to intimidate suspects. The man Reese had brought in didn't seem particularly strong-willed. She'd get answers out of him. 

Reese was standing outside the door and Shaw nodded to him as she burst through the door. The man jumped, his handcuffs clattering against the metal table. The silver mesh that lined the walls didn’t bother her, but she could tell instantly that the man was nervous. His legs bounced with anxiety and his fingers tapped on the iron table.

Shaw clicked on her tape recorder. “What’s your name?” she asked without preamble.

The man jumped, staring at her with dim gold eyes. “Leon,” he stuttered. “Look I didn’t do anything. I was just seeing if that dude had anything valuable on him. There was barely anything left of him. I mean, some Alpha did him good, but they didn’t even take his wallet!”

Shaw could tell by the murky yellow of his eyes that he wasn’t very strong. The strongest Were Wolves had clear gold eyes. Every species of Were was different. Lionel’s eyes were a cloudy iron grey, middle of the road for Lions. Putting her recorder on the table, Shaw leaned forward on her hands, the metal cold beneath her angry skin.

“You just happened upon a body that had been destroyed by an alpha?” She raised an eyebrow at him. “What are the chances?”

“I don’t know!” He looked like he might cry. “Pretty high, right now!”

Shaw stood up straight, crossing her arms. “Explain.”

He opened his mouth, but froze when the door opened. Even inside the silver room, Shaw’s skin started to twitch, the hair on her neck standing on end. Root walked in, shutting the door behind her, her face unreadable. The fact that Shaw's body was still reacting to Root inside the silver room made her less confident that Root was a Were. The silver would block out any power Root had, unless she was wildly powerful.

Annoyed at the interruption, Shaw turned back to Leon. “Explain,” she repeated.

He kept his eyes fixed on Root, the color draining from his face. “Um, the- the word is a True Alpha just moved to town. It’s probably impossible. They- well- Everyone thought they died in the last war, but shit’s been crazy! The pack that’s been killing humans is suddenly terrified!”

Pulling out a chair from their side of the table, Root sat down delicately. She seemed too still across from the constantly shifting Leon. Resting her hands on the table, she smiled casually. Leon seemed to sense something and moved as far away as the handcuffs attaching him to the table would allow.

“Leon,” Root said quietly, making him whimper. “We need the names of those Weres.”

“I don’t know them,” Leon said, his whole body twitching. “I swear. I just know that their Den is somewhere in Central Park.”

Something changed in the air, just barely perceptible to Shaw’s senses. The heat that had been permeating her skin suddenly disappeared and she could almost taste cold dust in her mouth. She could only see the back of Root’s head, but she watched Leon’s body tense and then violently shiver. Then, the chill in the air was gone and Shaw suddenly felt a little bit empty.

“Well,” Root said, her voice surprising Shaw, “I think that’s all we’re going to get out of him.” She gave Leon a sickly sweet smile. “Unless you have anything else?”

Leon shook his head, panicked. “No! I don’t! I mean, I know the pack calls themselves Good Samaritans. If that means anything.”

It didn’t mean anything to Shaw. When she looked at Root, she couldn’t tell if it meant anything to her. Root’s face was still fixed into the smile. She shrugged, turning to Shaw. 

“Maybe they think killing Humans is a good deed.”

Shaw snorted. “Yeah, I’ll bet they do. We’re done here.”

She walked to the door and yanked it open, hurrying past Reese and stalking back to her desk. That was the first time she hadn’t felt control in the interrogation room. She didn’t like that Root had come in and interrupted. She didn’t like that something magical had happened and she didn’t know what it was. She didn’t like that she still didn’t have all the answers.

“Shaw!” Root called from behind her. “Wait up!”

Ignoring her, Shaw pushed through the gate into the bullpen and stopped beside her desk. She realized she’d left her voice recorder in the silver room and cursed under her breath. A moment later, the recorder appeared in her field of vision.

“You left this.”

Scowling at Root, Shaw yanked the device from her hand. “What the fuck was that?”

“What was what?” Root asked, looking confused. 

“Don’t play with me,” Shaw growled. “You did something in that room. What kind of Pret bullshit was it?”

Widening her eyes, Root tried to look innocent. “Are you talking about that weird chill? I think Leon must have done something.”

Rolling her eyes, Shaw put her hands on her hips. “That weak piece of shit?” she asked. “He couldn’t scare a Frog. That was an Alpha move like I’ve never seen. What are you playing at?”

“I didn’t do anything, Sameen.” Root reached out to her hand on Shaw’s shoulder, trying to comfort her. “Are you feeling ok?”

Shaw angrily pushed Root’s hand away. “If I found out you’ve been pulling some long con, I’m going to rip you to pieces with my bare hands.” The amused look on Root’s face made Shaw’s stomach turn. “Until then, we find out who’s living in Central Park.”

“Alright, Sameen,” Root said, using Shaw’s name again, “you’re in charge.”

“Damn right, I am,” Shaw muttered under her breath as she dropped into her desk chair and tossed the voice recorder into a drawer.

As angry as she was at Root, Shaw was more annoyed with herself. The feeling in the room had been amazing, like she was full to the brim with life. She had been calm for the first time in a while, her mind and her skin. 

Her skin. The pain and shivering had stopped. Shaw pressed a hand to her cheek, realizing that she felt cool to the touch, cool and still. She looked across the desk at Root, who was calmly looking over a map of NYC. 

Was this some trick? To lull Shaw into a false state of complacency? Glaring at Root, Shaw crossed her arms. She was more suspicious than ever, but Root had gotten the first hint they'd ever had about the Were Wolves’ hiding place from Leon and that was something at least. Shaw would have to keep a closer eye on her from now on, so she didn’t end up under Root’s spell.


	3. Chapter 3

Shaw took another sip of beer, looking around the bar. It was a department event, celebrating some hero or another. She didn’t know, and she didn’t really care, but the NYPD always paid for the food and alcohol at these events, so Shaw always showed up. Tilting her head back, she finished the bottle and set it down on the bar.

Two more weeks had passed since they’d spoken to Leon and not much progress had been made. Two more humans had been killed, but two more Were Wolves had turned up dead, too. They’d been killed by the same True Alpha and the same gold blood had been found.

She turned away from the party to signal the bartender. A warmth appeared at her side and she rolled her eyes.

“Hello, Root,” Shaw said, turning to eye her suspiciously. “Get any mysterious injuries lately?”

Root grinned at her, eyes sparkling, and gestured to her leg. Peeking out from under the skirt of her dress was a bandage that covered her entire thigh. Shaw whistled, impressed, even as she drew her eyes down Root’s legs to her black flats.

“Looks bad,” Shaw muttered. The bartender appeared in front of her and she lifted her beer bottle to ask for the same. “You must be into some rough stuff.”

“Maybe I could show you sometime,” Root purred. When Shaw glared at her, she just shrugged casually. “I’ll go easy on you.”

Snorting, Shaw took her new beer from the bartender. “I can hold my own, but thank you.”

“Anytime,” Root answered. She reached out to play with Shaw’s ponytail. “My treat.”

“Jesus,” Shaw laughed. She didn't pull her hair away. Taking a quick sip of her beer, she turned to face Root fully, her hair stretching between them. “What would you do if I took you up on your offer? You’ve been flirting for a month, but I think you’re all bark and no bite.”

Laughing, Root tugged on Shaw’s ponytail, a soft blush filling her cheeks. “I promise you, I am all bite.”

“Uh-huh.” Now, Shaw knocked Root’s hand away from her hair and leaned her back against the bar. She didn’t move away, but she couldn’t give in that easily either. “What do you think? About the True Alpha?”

“Really, Sameen?” Root pouted. “Our first social event and you want to talk about work?”

“I can’t stop thinking about it,” Shaw admitted. “I feel like we should have caught the pack by now. And the True Alpha.”

Sighing, Root pushing her hair behind her ear and leaned against the bar, too, her shoulder brushing Shaw’s. “I think if the True Alpha is killing Good Samaritans, then who cares?”

“Who’s to say that they won’t turn on humans next?” Shaw asked. Across the small room, she watched Reese try to flirt with Zoe. “What if they’re just taking out the competition?”

“I think if they wanted to kill humans,” Root started, “they’d just use their True Alpha power and take the pack over. Why kill people who could help them achieve their goal?” 

Pursing her lips, Shaw raised her eyebrows. That was a good point. “Fine,” she sighed. “Why do you think this Alpha is killing the Samaritans?”

Root shrugged, dropped her eyes to Shaw’s mouth. “Can we talk about this some other time? I was enjoying our talk about biting.”

Shaw rolled her eyes, pretending like she was annoyed, but she wasn’t entirely opposed to having sex with Root. Now that her skin had stopped trying to remove itself from her body, Shaw could feel the chemistry between them. Root was hot, and she always smelled like shampoo and something primal. Shaw took a drink.

“Look,” Root said, bumping her shoulder against Shaw’s, “I think John is going to ask Zoe to-”

She froze. Shaw could feel the way her body tensed because of their closeness and she looked at Root, eyes running down her face, taking in sharp features and pale skin. Before she could ask any questions, Root yanked the beer bottle from her hand and slammed it onto the bar.

“Root, what-”

Her breath was taken from her as Root took her hand in a bruising grip and raced out the door of the bar and out into the cool, night air. They ran across the street, narrowly avoiding being hit, and into the park across the street. Shaw gritted her teeth, having trouble keeping up with Root’s brutal pace.

They weren’t far from Central Park and, from what Shaw could tell, that was where they were heading. The wind whipped around them, cold against Shaw’s face. She was glad that she’d forgone a dress and stuck with her usual outfit. Root didn’t seem at all bothered by the lingering chill.

Shaw willed herself to warm, and felt her body start to emanate some heat. Root glanced back at her for a second, grinning. Against her will, Shaw grinned back at her, feeling a little wild as they ran through the city. She felt more free than she had in a long time.

As soon as she began to enjoy the run, Root slowed. Shaw stumbled to a stop beside her, looking around to get her bearings. She’d been right - They were in Central Park. It was almost silent around them, the air still as death. Swallowing hard, Shaw held her free hand up in front of her, palm facing upwards.

She pushed her magic out in every direction, forming a picture of the landscape in the air above her hand. It wasn’t a great tool, she could only get a snapshot of the moment her magic hit the world around her, but it was good for a preliminary idea of what was around. As the horizontal landscape formed, she could see that the park was empty.

“Where is everyone?” Shaw asked, feeling increasingly uncomfortable. “I know the Weres are scaring the Humans off, but it shouldn’t be completely devoid of people.”

“I didn’t realize you were this powerful,” Root said instead of answering. Her eyes were glued to the image Shaw had made. “Image magic is very difficult. Where did you learn that?”

“My mother.” Shaw closed her hand, the image dissolving. “My father was Human, but she wasn’t. Not fully.”

Root smiled at Shaw, looking thoughtful. “No wonder you’re so confident. You’re probably unkillable.”

“I haven’t tested the theory,” Shaw snorted. She realized that she was still holding Root’s hand and dropped it, rolling her eyes. “Alright. Tell me why you dragged me to an empty park.”

“I had a feeling that something bad was going to happen,” Root answered, sounding too casual. “It’s getting late and the Pack is known to hang out in this area.”

“And the running?” Shaw asked, raising an eyebrow.

Root shrugged, smirking. “I figured you could handle it.”

It was annoying how attractive Root was, especially when she was being smug, but Shaw couldn’t deny the truth. Other than Root’s injuries, she hadn’t shown any signs of being untrustworthy. Shaw was starting to feel like she could lower her guard enough to have sex with Root.

She noticed a smudge of dirt on Root’s cheekbone, left by something on their run. Reaching up, Shaw used her thumb to wipe it away. When it was gone, she tugged Root’s head down, her other hand wrapping around the back of Root’s neck. Her eyes were fluttering shut, ready for the kiss, when her skin started to crawl and itch. Shaw froze.

From the tall trees beside them, a rough, primal growl filled the air. Instinctively, Shaw moved the stand in front of Root and reached for her gun. She didn’t have it. After a particularly rowdy department dinner, weapons had been banned from events. Shaw gritted her teeth and started sending warmth to her hands.

A large Wolf stalked out of the brush, teeth bared and eyes wide. It was almost as tall as Shaw was and as long as a park bench, each tooth six inches long. Stuck on those teeth was a man. The Wolf threw it's head forward, tossing the mangled body onto the ground in front of them. If Shaw was the type to feel fear, this would do it. The grey fur of the Wolf stood on end, making it seem even larger. She swallowed hard and planted her feet, ready to fight.

For a moment, Shaw was afraid that it was the True Alpha they were looking for, but her skin was not reacting as strongly as she would expect for a True Alpha. She saw that its eyes were only slightly golden. It was definitely more powerful than Leon, but it wasn’t as strong as it could be. It was definitely a Samaritan, though. 

She kept her eyes on its feet as it moved forward, anticipating its movement and preparing to keep it away from Root. The Wolf’s mouth dropped open, its growl getting louder and fiercer. Shaw’s skin vibrated, adding heat to her body, and she lifted her hands in front of her, willing strength into her arms.

A shift behind her back told Shaw that Root was moving. The Wolf’s eyes shot to Root and it barked loudly, bloody teeth snapping. Root held her hands up defensively, taking slow, careful steps toward it. She stepped over the dead man, eyes fixed of the Wolf.

Shaw wanted to yell at her to get back, but she was afraid the loud noise would make the Wolf attack. Root didn’t look scared, just calm and in control, but a Human against a Wolf would never go well. She remembered how Root used to make her skin crawl and wondered again if Root was entirely Human.

“Hello,” Root cooed at the Wolf. “Aren’t you a beauty?”

Shaw wouldn’t have called it that. Now that it was closer, she could see long jagged scratches hidden in its fur. Its claws were bloody, too, slightly splintered and jagged. This Wolf had been in a fight with someone recently. Root stopped in front of him, keeping him about ten feet away from Shaw. Its eyes narrowed at Root and Shaw kept her fists forward and ready.

“You didn’t come here to hurt us, did you?” Root asked. “You’re a good Wolf.”

The Wolf snapped its teeth at her, eyes glinting in the moonlight. Shaw usually tried not to judge a Wolf by its teeth, but the recent Human murders, some very recent, and the fact that they were in Central Park, where Leon had said the Pack lived, made her unwilling to trust this random Wolf. The Wolf inched closer to Root and Shaw took a step forward, too.

“I’m going to pet you,” Root said calmly, but her voice was tinged with warning. “Don’t hurt me.”

She reached out her hand and every fiber of Shaw’s being was humming with danger. Just as Root’s fingers brushed through thick, grey fur, the Wolf lunged forward, catching Root’s arm between its teeth. Before she could even think, Shaw leaped forward, and stuck her hands into the Wolf’s mouth, cutting her fingers on sharp teeth.

Using her extra strength, Shaw pried the Wolf’s mouth open, giving Root the space to stumble backwards. With a groan, she kept pulling the jaws apart until the Wolf was howling in pain. Then, she shoved her arm as far inside the Wolf as it would go and released an energy blast from her palm, burning it from the inside. Pulling her arm out and hurrying backwards, she watched as the Wolf fell to the ground, smoke escaping from its mouth.

“Holy shit,” Root breathed, getting Shaw’s attention. “That was so hot.”

“Yeah?” Shaw asked, raising an eyebrow. She blew on the tip of a bloody finger like it was a smoking gun. “What are you going to do about it?”

Root lunged forward, grabbing Shaw’s face in her hands and crashing their mouths together. Clutching at Root’s dress, Shaw pulled her close until they were flush against each other. Root was warm, even through her dress, Shaw could feel the heat coming off of her, and she liked it.

Directing Shaw backwards, Root lead them to a tree and pushed Shaw hard against it, making her gasp. Root’s fingertips were digging painfully into her scalp and her thigh was pressing hard between her legs and Shaw was having trouble breathing as Root’s kisses overwhelmed her. Shaw’s hips bucked against Root’s thigh against her will, but she didn’t care. 

Her hands were running over Root’s body, trying to touch every part at once and soak in her heat. Root’s mouth was forceful and insistent, her teeth nipping at Shaw’s lips. Shaw moaned as Root tugged her hair painfully, pulling Shaw’s head back and exposing her neck. She wondered if she should worry about her safety, but then Root’s tongue was on her pulse and Shaw stopped thinking altogether.

One of Root’s hands moved down to the front of Shaw’s pants, opening it with deft fingers. It pushed down the front of them, into Shaw’s underwear, and Shaw moaned at the feeling of Root’s long fingers inside of her. She tried not to think about the dead Human and Were beside them on the ground, or the fact that their coworkers might have chased after them.

Instead, she focused on Root’s teeth against her neck, and the way Root was panting, too. The grip on her ponytail tightened, dragging her head even further back and exposing her neck more. Shaw kept her eyes closed, groaning as Root thrust inside her.

She felt her stomach start to warm, her body start to tense, and raised her head for a kiss. She scrambled to clutch at Root’s head and pull her face up. She was met with shining, gold eyes, brighter than she’d even seen before. Her orgasm hit her, making her body tense and shake, but she couldn’t tear her eyes away from Root’s.

When she could breathe again, she tried to pull away from Root, get free from the True Alpha. Root kept her tight hold on Shaw’s ponytail, the other coming out of her pants to wrap around Shaw’s neck. Mind foggy from the sex and surprise, Shaw could only hold Root’s wrist, her magic too far out of her reach.

“I’m sorry,” Root said, sounding sincere. “If you hadn’t looked… Well, too late now. I really liked you, you know. You would have made a great partner.”

Her grip started to tighten around Shaw’s neck, cutting off her air. Shaw tried to struggle, but Root lifted her off the ground, so they were eye level. Her feet kicked weakly in the air. Root was so much stronger than she looked, a benefit of being a True Alpha. She tried to choke out a question, but couldn’t breath enough to talk.

“Don’t worry,” Root assured her, somehow reading her mind. “I’ll kill the pack. I worked too hard to end the Wars for some kids to destroy the peace. I’m not a bad guy, Sameen, despite what this looks like.”

She brushed her lips over Shaw’s, giving her one last, gentle kiss. Pulling back, she narrowed her eyes.

“You’re taking a long time to strangle,” Root muttered. She squeezed harder. “I might have to bleed you out.”

Shaw struggled harder, her mind starting to cloud and the edges of her vision going dark. Her ability to hold her breath had always been a boon before, but now it was just prolonging her pain. She gritted her teeth and tried to pull Root’s hand away.

Root raised an eyebrow, gold eyes glinting playfully. “Ok, I’ll stop choking you, but I think this is the easier option, personally.”

She shrugged and released her grip on Shaw’s neck. Root had her teeth in Shaw’s neck before her feet had touched the floor. Shaw felt one last burst of pain, her body growing cold and wet, and then the world went black.


	4. Chapter 4

“Captain, she killed me! Why won’t you let me go after her?”

“You don’t look dead to me,” Carter responded, sitting back in her desk chair, arms crossed. “I don’t think dead Humans yell quite as loudly as you are now.”

Shaw grit her teeth, snarling across the desk. She slammed her hands down onto the hardwood and leaned as far across as she could. “Let. Me. Mur. Der. Her.”

“Look,” Carter sighed, shrugging, “we can’t prosecute a murder with another murder. Besides, no one is dead!”

Growling, Shaw pushed herself off the desk, leaving two scorched handprints on the wood. She turned her back to the Captain to glare at the far wall. It had been three days since Root had murdered her in the park and Shaw hadn’t been able to track her down and take revenge. Her body was smoking with anger.

She wasn’t even mad about the sex. Shaw had had plenty of one night stands that ended awkwardly. What made her so angry was her own stupidity. She’d known the second that she’d seen Root that something was wrong and that Root was lying, but she’d let her desire to solve the case, and her desire for the pale woman’s body, cloud her judgement.

All the Wolves they’d been chasing had disappeared recently. No new Humans were showing up dead and no more Wolves were being found torn apart. When she’d woken up at Carter’s house a few hours after Root had killed her, Shaw had been livid. She’d almost burned the whole place down when Carter told her that she couldn’t run out and tear the city apart looking for Root.

Now, she took a deep breath, and tried to think rationally. Maybe Root had done what she’d promised and killed last of the Pack. Shaw wasn’t willing to give up the search entirely, but that seemed to be close to the truth. Or maybe, she thought bitterly, Root had just taken over the pack and they’d gone underground to plan bigger and better things.

Sighing heavily, she turned back around to look at Carter. “Did you see this coming?” Shaw asked her. “Root being the True Alpha? Me dying?”

“Not all of it,” Carter answered. “Did I know about Root? Yes. Did I know about you? No.”

“You let her work here, knowing that she was killing people,” Shaw hissed. “How could you?”

Carter, leaned forward, resting her arms on the desk. “Because I saw that I could trust her. She’s not evil, Shaw. I know she’s morally grey, but-”

“She’s morally black!” Shaw cut in. “All bad! Murdering people and you’re letting her get away with it.”

“Root is from a different time,” Carter sighed. “An older time.” She frowned at Shaw for a moment before holding her hands up in defeat. “Fine. I’ll tell you why I let her stay.” She gestured for Shaw to sit in a chair and Shaw did, dropping into one of the seats across from Carter. “You know why the Pret Wars ended, right?”

“Sure,” Shaw answered between deep, calming breaths. “Some Pret council brokered peace and then disbanded when the last War had been ended.”

Carter smiled. “Vague, but close.”

“Ok, tell me, then.” Shaw rolled her eyes. “Great and Powerful Seer.”

Holding a finger up, Carter smiled. “Don’t sass me.” She settled back into her chair. “There wasn’t a council. There was just one Wolf, a True Alpha. Root. She’s very old. I’d say around 500 years, but I don’t know exactly. She’s the last True Alpha, and when she dies - Well, if she dies, True Alphas don’t die naturally; they can only be killed. If she dies, so too do the True Alphas.”

“Where did the others go?” Shaw asked, feeling like she knew the answer.

“Root killed them,” was the solemn response. “That was the first War, and the one that started the chaos. That’s why Root felt obligated to end the others, and why she’s stepped in now.”

Shaw slumped back in her seat, spreading her legs and getting comfortable. “Couldn’t she have just...tracked them down? Why join our department?”

Carter spread her hands. “I don’t know. Maybe she was feeling lazy and just wanted a list of who to deal with. Wolves are pack animals, though. She might have been lonely.”

Frowning, Shaw thought back to Root’s comment about Shaw being a good ‘partner.” Had she been auditioning Shaw for a pack? Shaw hated herself for feeling disappointed that it hadn’t worked out, even as she was furious for the betrayal. Being with Root that night at the park had been thrilling, her touch and closeness making Shaw feel alive for the first time in a long time.

That didn’t mean Shaw had forgiven her. Root’s heroic past wasn’t enough to prove that she was trustworthy. Shaw couldn’t just forget that Root had lied. She barely cared about her anyway. 

“What if she doesn’t come back?” Shaw asked. “Do we just assume the pack is taken care of? Do we keep searching for them?”

“The next time I have a vision, we’ll know.” Carter didn’t seem worried at all. “I’m sorry Root left before you could date her.”

Shaw snorted, blowing the comment off. She pushed her ponytail off her shoulder. “I didn’t want to date her. I hardly knew her. I don’t even miss her. She was really annoying. Not even interesting. I’m glad she’s gone.” 

Carter raised an eyebrow. “There’s nothing wrong with wanting to know someone better.”

“Did you see something?” Shaw glared at Carter across the table. “Did you? About us? Is she going to come back?”

“All I can-”

Carter stilled, her eyes glazing over as a vision overcame her. Sighing, Shaw sat up and waited for the vision to finish. She hoped it was a short one, so she could get more information about Carter’s vision about her and Root. Carter gasped, shooting to her feet, making Shaw jump up, too.

“Go,” Carter said as her eyes cleared up. “You have to go help Root. Leon is waiting out front for you. Go!”

Shaw raced out of Carter’s office without a word, hoping that she wouldn’t be too late to help Root. Running through the bullpen, she didn’t even stop to grab anything. A sense of dread was tugging at her stomach, and she pushed through the small gate into the elevator lobby. There was something pulling her forward, like a thread connecting her to Root.

Not wanting to wait for the elevator, she ran to the stairwell door, taking the steps two at a time. Her rational brain was telling her that this need to get to Root was unnatural, maybe a product of whatever Root had done to her and Leon in the interrogation room. Maybe Root had marked her, the bond lasting even through Shaw’s death.

It only took her a minute to reach the ground floor and she slammed into the stairwell door, hurrying through the lobby and out the front doors. A large Wolf stood in the parking lot, its tail tucked between its legs. When Shaw burst out into the hot night, it looked up at her, smoky yellow eyes telling her that it was Leon.

He bent at the legs as she ran to him and she leaped onto his back. He turned so quickly, that she had to fist her hands into his black-brown fur to stay seated, squeezing his side with her legs. She took a deep breath as he launched forward at full speed, taking her onward to Root.

Shaw would be mad later that Root had claimed her, but right now, she really was worried about her safety. In the short time they’d known each other, Shaw had come to trust her despite her protests. Root was trustworthy, even as she lied. It was a contradiction that felt right for Root. She was wild and Shaw liked that. It made her feel wild, too.

This run to Central Park was very different from her last one. Shaw was racing towards Root, instead of with her. Just like last time, however, she had no idea why they were running. What kind of danger was Root in? What kind of danger could she not handle?

They made it to the park and Leon leaped over the wrought iron fence. He seemed to know where he was going, so Shaw was willing to trust him, too. He had been in the room when Root had done the Claiming, so he must be guided by some Wolf magic. Shaw wondered if she could see what was connecting them.

Closing her eyes, she trying to ignore the bumpy ride and picture a physical thread tying her to Root. It wasn’t the same as her normal image magic, but it was similar enough. She felt energy pulse through her and opened her eyes again. A thin string of light protruded from her chest pointing forward into the park.

Leon took her further into the park, powerful legs pushing them forward, closer to Root. A large howl shattered the silence and Leon skidded to a halt, dumping Shaw onto the floor. She hit the hard concrete ground and groaned in pain, pushing herself up.

She bared her teeth as she climbed to her feet. “Get out of here, Leon. I’ll take care of her.”

He hesitated, whimpering. After a moment, he seemed to nod and hurry away. Then, Shaw was alone in the park, the line that connected her to Root disappearing into a dense pack of trees. She steeled herself and started forward.

Walking as quietly as possible, she stalked through the trees, keeping her ears open for more howls. There was nothing though, only the quiet of the empty park and her almost-silent steps. After a couple hundred feet, she came out the other side of the trees and saw a shallow cave.

Inside the cave were six dead Wolves, all torn to pieces. That barely got Shaw’s attention. Gold blood splattered the walls, pooling on the rocky floor of the Good Samaritans’ den. Root had obviously been the one that killed them all, but now, the thread connecting them hit the back wall and stopped. She didn’t see Root anywhere.

Shaw stepped out of the foliage and walked into the cave. She hoped that Root had escaped and not just crawled off and died alone. The thread would probably have dissolved if Root was dead. That’s what Shaw told herself anyway. A second later, the thread disappeared.

A twig snapped behind her and she spun, throwing her hands up, smoke coming from them as she hurried to heat them. A Wolf larger than she’d ever seen stood in front of her, panting. It was the most beautiful chocolate brown, the tips of each hair seeming to shine gold in the moonlight. 

The Wolf was amazing, its head the size of Shaw’s torso. Shaw took a few steps toward it, her hands cooling on their own as she lost focus. When she was only a few steps away, The Wolf dipped its head so they could make eye contact. It was Root, her gold eyes sparkling as they looked into Shaw’s.

“You’re incredible,” Shaw breathed. “Amazing.”

She reached up to bury her hands in Root’s fur, but yanked them back when they touched something wet and hot. In the moonlight, she could see that her hands were covered in thick, gold blood. It was Root’s, magical and terrible at once.

“You’re hurt,” Shaw said, anger rising in her throat. “Are they all dead? I’ll take you back to my place and heal you.”

As she spoke, a low growl filled the air and made her hair stand on end. Root’s huge eyes flicked over Shaw’s shoulder, and she bared sharp teeth as long as Shaw’s hand. Shaw’s heart skipped a beat, remembering the way Root’s Human teeth had sunk into her neck.

Suddenly, Root leaped over Shaw, and Shaw dropped to the ground to avoid Root’s claws. Turning on her knees, the ground hard and rough beneath them, she watched Root land on top of a pale, blonde Wolf, slashing the other Wolf with a huge paw. The blonde Wolf skittered away, already hurt. Taking advantage of the Wolf’s distraction, Root, the True Alpha, clamped her mouth around the smaller Wolf’s neck, and Shaw heard the distinctive snap of a spine snapping.

The blonde Wolf dropped to the ground like a leaf, and Shaw climbed to her feet. Root seemed to collapse into herself, changing quickly back into her Human form. She started to fall, but Shaw jumped forward, managing to catch her before her head could hit the ground. Root’s naked body was covered in blood, dark scratches bleeding gold.

Brushing Root’s hair away from her face, Shaw sat on the ground, pulling Root’s torso into her lap. “You didn’t have to fight them alone,” Shaw growled. “We’re a team."

Root’s gold eyes, blinked up at her, unfocused. “I told you,” she gasped, “I promised I’d get rid of them. You’re safe now.”

“What?” Shaw glared at Root, clenching her jaws. “I was always safe. You’re the one who was throwing yourself into danger.”

“No,” Root tried to laughed, wincing in pain as her stomach moved. “You weren’t safe.”

Shaw shushed her and shifted so she could look at Root’s wounds. “God, you’re so hurt. Can you get blood transfusions? I could tell Leon to meet us at the hospital.”

Root shook her head, whimpering in pain. “I can’t. Only from another True Alpha.”

“Then what can I do?”

“Nothing,” Root answered. She stretched up a shaking hand to cup Shaw’s cheek. “How are you alive?”

Shaw snorted. “I’m immortal. Apparently. I can’t die. And you can’t either. I won’t let you. I still have to beat you up for claiming me and lying to me.”

“I’m sorry. I won’t lie to you again.”

“OK,” Shaw said, lifting Root so she could scoot backwards. She put Root on the ground gently. “I’m going to try and heal you. I haven’t done it before, but it can’t be too hard. Worst case - you die, but you’re going to die anyway, so might as well.”

Root managed to smile up at Shaw. “So practical. I wish we could be partners.”

“I hope you mean as detectives,” Shaw mumbled. “I’m not the ‘Partner’ type.” Root hissed in pain and Shaw carefully put her palms on Root’s bare stomach. “We will be partners, Root. You’re going to live, I’m going to beat you up, and then we’ll solve cases together.”

“Sounds great,” Root sighed, closing her eyes. She looked like she was rapidly fading. “I’ll wait for you in the next life.”

“Shut up,” Shaw growled, closing her eyes, too. “I need to focus.”

Shaw had never healed someone before, but when she was young, her mother used to heal her scrapes and bruises. As an adult, she had incredible ability to heal quickly. Maybe she could pass that on to Root, or make Root an extension of herself and heal her that way. Shaw took a deep breath.

She gathered her magic, imagining that she was forming a solid ball of energy. Then, she moved it through her arms into Root. For a moment, she felt like she had two bodies, like she was herself and Root all at once. 

She could feel Root’s Wolf half, wild and snarling and snapping. It roared at Shaw, told her to leave, that there was only room for two, but Shaw ignored it. They were equals. She might not be a True Alpha, but she was just as strong. There was room for her inside of Root, side by side with the Wolf.

Stretching the energy to fill Root entirely, she focused on where there were injuries, where she was bleeding and bruised. She pushed her energy into the wounds, opening her eyes when Root gasped loudly. Root’s eyes were shining white, almost as bright as the moon. All of her wounds were white, too, her blood shimmering as the injuries healed.

Once the injuries were gone, and light had stopped shining through, Shaw pulled the energy back out of Root, sucking it back into her own body. It felt different. Her body was humming, electric and vibrant. She looked down at Root.

“Your eyes,” Root murmured, sounding exhausted, but pain free. “Gold.”

Shaw blinked, wondering what that meant and if anything had changed inside of her. If it had, they’d find out together. They were partners after all, bound now forever. Shaw sighed loudly, and pushed a stray hair from her face.

“You better not have made me into a Were.”

Root grinned. “A Were Root.”

“Wow,” Shaw groaned, rolling her eyes. “I think I’d kill myself if I turned into you on a full moon.”

“You should be so lucky.” Root sat up carefully, her nakedness letting Shaw see a road map of scars. She smiled softly at Shaw, looking almost nervous. “Now that it’s all out there… Maybe we could get to know each other, for real?”

Shaw shrugged, trying not to look excited, even as her heart beat faster. “I guess. I mean, we have been inside each other already.”

“And I saved your life.”

“And I saved yours.”

They smiled at each other, seeing the other like it was the first time. Shaw took Root’s jaw in her hand and pulled her close, not quite kissing her. Root pouted.

“You have to earn another kiss,” Shaw breathed. “Solve a few cases and I’ll think about it.”

“Maybe we can take a few nights off,” Root suggested. “I’ll earn a kiss. Believe me, I will earn it.”

Shaw pushed Root’s face away. “Whatever. I guess that wouldn’t be awful.”

“Thank you,” Root said quietly. “For coming tonight.”

“It’s what partners do.”


End file.
